Maize harvesting machine



May 4, 1937. A. CARPINETI MAIZE HARVESTING MACHINE Origihal Filed May26, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 N l Wi y 1937- A. CARPINETI 2,079,201

MAIZE HARVESTING MACHINE Original Filed May 26, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y1937- A. CARPINETI 2,079,2M

MAIZE HARVESTING MACHINE Original Filed May 26, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Al Car /W252 May 4, 1937.

A. CARPINETI MAIZE HARVESTING MAGHINE Original Filed May 26, 1953 4Sheets-Sheet 4 I Patented May 4, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,079,201 MAIZEHARVESTING MACHINE Arnaldo Carpineti, Buenos- Aires, ArgentinaApplication May 26, 1933, Serial No. 673,052 Renewed September 22, 19362 Claims.

The present invention relates to a corn picking machine, of the typecomprising sets of rollers rotating in coincident directions, and ofthose same rollers which are arranged within the courses correspondingto the rows of corn, and having beforethem chains provided with prongsprojecting towards the interior or axis of said courses, and one ofthe'main features being the position in which the picking rolls areplaced.

In previous machines, the picking roller has always been placed in aposition oblique to the ground, and whenever it has beenarranged-parallel to same, it was to take the plant at a considerabledistance from the ground. There has been a particular coincidence in theoblique disposition of the roller in all corn picking machines known inthe last several years, that is to say, after the application of theexplosion motor to the motor vehicles commonly designated as tractors.The only machines, of very old make, wherein the rollers were arrangedparallel to the ground- (and as stated above, at a considerable distancetherefrom) were not exactly corn. pickers but tools mounted on two orfour wheels, pulled by animals, and in which the rollers were actuatedby an operator through the movement of cranks carried by the rollers, totakethe ears at the height at which they ordinarily issue from thestalk, and for the purpose of facilitating or complementing handpicking. They were rudimentary tools or machines, of noted inefiiciencyand mentioned herein for the sole purpose of pointing out that theexistence is known of such mechanisms, which bear no similitude inoperation or arrangement with the machine which will be hereinafterdescribed.

For the purpose of clearly setting forth the importance of theimprovement introduced to the industry by this machine, and also with a'view of giving a comparative idea of the value of the main feature ofthe invention, we will first make a brief reference to the principlesthat have guided other machines used for the same purpose.

We have already stated that it is a common practice in corn pickingmachines using rollers, to arrange them in a position obliquely to theground.

It has always been desired to operate the roller in itsforemost end,nearest the birth of the plant, disregarding any other condition thanthat of attacking the plant which is in vertical or practically verticalposition, and with this purpose in view, the prong mechanisms arrangedin front of'therollers-have not contributed in a noticeable degree, tocooperate efilciently with said rollers. Said prongs, mounted on endlesschains running in a direction opposite to that of the machine and at thesides of the course opening way to the rollers, whether the latter arearranged on a horizontal or oblique plane, do not really establish acontinuity contact that might result in a necessary mutual relation.

In the case of the present invention, with the rollers arrangedhorizontally next to the ground, the sets of prongs mounted on chains ina position in front of the rollers and on an oblique plane in relationto said rollers, are practically removing the same ground and, besides,the prongs serve as a feeder, due to the fact that they operate on alower plane than that of the mound where the plants are located, anddigging at that place their action will reach all the plants, regardlessof their position.

The action of the rollers could be compared to that of twowormstravelling on top of the mound and having at their end a number ofoperating prongs forming a curtain introducing in the mound and takingin its travel all the plants, whether they are vertical, inclined orbroken down.

In order to appreciate the advantages of the present invention we willrefer to themachine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the front part of the machine, with the coverremoved.

Figure 2 is a side view of the middle part of the machine.

Figure 3 represents the rear section of the machine; and

Figure 4 is a top view of Figure 1.

Figure 4A is a detail view showing a clutch interposed in thetransmission between shafts IT and 22.

The tractor I has a side support 2 where the piece 3 is bolted; thispiece 3 has'a bolt 4 with corresponding nut 5, adjusting the element 6which, by means of the bolts 1 and 8, take the upright 9 forming part ofthe general frame Hi. This upright 9 has a crosspiece ll havingturnbuckles l2 bolted at l3 to the upright l4 which is. secured by boltsIS. The turnbuckle l2 has a shock absorbing spring [6, which causes theoscillation of the frame H] on the bolt 4 and the elasticity effect onthe spring H5. The frame l can change its oscillation or suspensionposition by merely extending the bolt l2 by means of the nut I 3,loosening the bolt 4 until the desired position has been obtained,whereupon the nut is tightened.

The tractor I mentioned, corresponds to the type which is common to theindustry, to which slight modifications have been made, in order toadapt same to the corn picking machine, the vital part of which isconstituted by the front section illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. Therear portion of the machine only includes those elements necessary forthe thrashing and bagging of the corn, and forms no part of the presentinvention. However, it will be understood that apart from the use of thebasic means which will be claimed, the object of the machine isconstituted by the whole unit or the general disposition of theelements.

The shaft I1 has been coupled to the crank shaft of the tractor motor bymeans of a detachable joint I8 joining the shaft I9 by means of thebearing which has been secured to the angle 2|. The shaft 22 extends tothe endless chain 23, enclosed in the sealed gear box 24, which effectsthe general distribution of power to the different rotating or movingelements of the front part of the machine, and also the elevatorconveying the ears to the rear portion.

This endless chain 23 meshes with a crown 25 to rotate the shaft 26having fixed thereon a bevel gear 21 which, through its correspondingbevel gear 28, rotates the shaft 29; said shaft 29 is interrupted by acardan 30 of leather 3| wherein the stem 32 operates the bevel gear 33included in the box 34 and which actuates the bevel gears 35 and theoppositely corresponding, to move the arms 36 and 31 in a rotation ofintercepted planes, whereby the arms 36 rotate on one plane while thearms 31 rotate on a plane obliquely to the former, each set of armsentering the dividing course corresponding to each of the inlets B and Cof the machine, in the direction indicated by the arrow A.

The shaft 26, moved by the crown 25, has bearings 38 and 39 secured tothe box 40.

Upon projecting, said shaft 26 receives the gears 4| and 42, the gear 4|moving the chain 43 and, correspondingly, the gear 44 and through same,the shaft 45 leading to the boxes 46 and 41, passing through bearings 48and 49 to the bevel gears 50 and 5| meshing with the bevel gears 52 and53 leading, by means of the bearings 54 and 65, to the universal joints56 and 51 which, through the shafts 58 and 59, reach the other joints 60and 6|, wherefrom the shafts 62 and 63, passing the bearings 64 and 65,reach the boxes 66 and 61 having bevel gears 68 and 69 which throughgears 18 and 1| move the shafts l2 and 13 leading to the gears 74hearing chains 15, 16, 1.1 and "I8, receiving the correspondingdeflection by the toothed pulleys 19, 80, 8| and 82. Each of said chains15 has prongs 88 moving in the direction of the arrows a, b, c and d,guided at their front end by the toothed pulleys 84, 85, 86 and 81.

Similarly to the case of the shafts 58 and 59 moved from the boxes 46and 41 and originally by the gear 4| mounted on shaft 26, the chain 58acquires its movement from the gears 42 and toothed wheel 89,transmitting said movement to the shaft 90, on which are mounted thebevel gears 9| and 92 and their correspondents 93 and 94 that move theshafts 95 and 96, intercepted by cardans 91 and 98, shafts 99 and I00,further cardans IOI and I02, which through bearings I03 and I04 reachthe boxes I05 and I06, within which are the bevel gears I01 and I08 andtheir correspondents I09 and I I0, which, in turn, actuate the shafts III and II 2, similarly as in the case of the shaft 15, moving the pulley14 and consequently the chains 16 and 11, guided by the toothed pulleys80 and 8| and the further ones 85 and 06.

The power of the shaft 22 is taken by the gear II3, communicating to thelarger gear II4 arranged in its lower part and passing through box II5reaches, together with shaft II6 of same, to the toothed wheels II! andI I8 transmitting motion, through chains I I9 and I20, to the gears I2Iand. I22 which, in turn, operate on gears I23 and I24, transmitting thespeed of said gears I23 and I24 to gears I25 and I26. Said gears I23,I24, I25 and I26 move each of the rollers I21, I28, I29 and I30 whichconstitute the corn picking rollers.

The ends of these corn picking rollers have bearings I3I which arerepeated on each of the corresponding ends, and serve as friction forsame in their forward end, having another bearing I32 in their rear end,which, as in the case of the forward one I3I, are repeated on each ofthe rear supports of said rollers.

These rollers I21, I28, I29 and I30 are divided in different threaded orgrooved zones; thus, their forward part has open threads or progressiveconical helicoids I33, followed by contact threads I34 on both rollersand having on the top of the threads I35 lenticular depressions I36 andfurther lenticular depressions I38 on the valleys I31 thereof.

The third grooved zone is constituted by the oblique threads I39extending to the rear end I40.

The initial grooves are conically conformed following the lines I4I,I42, I43 and I44 of the inlets B and C, which in turn are thecontinuation of lines I45, I46, I41 and I48 of the forward ends I49,I50, and I5I.

Belts I54 travel in the interception I52 and I53 of the cylinders andhalfways of the grooves I39, said belts being constituted by two piecesof rubber I and I56, mounted on a support I51 and kept in respectiveangular position by the springs I58. Said belts, conveying the pushersjust described, rotate in the direction of the arrow e and over thepulleys I59 and I60. The pulleys I are mounted and fixed on said shaft45 and act as driving pulleys with respect to the pulleys I59.

The belts I54 just described, with their pushing elements I55, push theears of corn towards the elevator and over the slope I6I, dischargingsame on the conveyor belt I62, said ears travelling on I63 until theyreach the pulley I64 and are discharged into the chute I65.

The power means actuating the two elevator belts, starts also from shaft46, reaches the gear I66 which communicates with I61 and transmits tothe pulley I68, which through belt I69 and pulley I10, moves the shaft I1| on which the toothed circles or rings I12, I13, I14 and I15 are fixedand journalled to bearings I16, I11, I18 and I19.

The position of the forward part corresponding to Figure 1, as indicatedbefore, can be levelled to its operative position according to thebearing point 4 and the regulation of bolt I 3, tempered by spring I6,occupying the frame 9 in its upper part I80. This height regulation canbe completed by means of the wheel I8I having a tempering element I 82which can be raised or lowered by means of a mechanism contained in boxI83, said mechanism consisting of a compression spring and a bolt havingseveral orifices I84 into which the bolt can be arranged, with theconsequent modification in the height of the forward part I50.

Arranged on a complementary frame to the frame of tractor I, there is aframe I85 on which an auxiliary explosion motor I86 has been placed,together with its fuel deposit I81 and fuel charge cover I88. Thisauxiliary motor has a fly wheel f I89 and a transmission pulley I90which, by means of pulley I9I,"moves a smaller pulley I92 and a cage I93mounted on a shaft I94 constituting a known mechanism for corn thrashingmachines, said mechanism having bars I95 circularly disposed forming thecage, and as said bars rotate at high speed, they hit the ears until thecomplete loosening of the grain is obtained. The grain travels down theslope I96 and enters the sieves I31 and I93, suspended on frame I99 byreins 233 and 23i receiving vibratory movement through turnbuckle 202fixed to the eccentric 233 which in turn is mounted on a shaft 204having a pulley 295; said pulley, by means of belt 206, is moved frompulley 231 which is mounted on shaft 238, which in turn, by means ofbelt 209 and pulley 2H), receives motive power through gears 2H and 2I2moved directly by the pulley I93 coupled to the motor I33.

On the same shaft 293, a fan 2I3 has been arranged, operating within thecover 2I4 and moving the air according to the arrows f and g to expel,through openings 2I5 and ZIB, the useless part of the ear, such as thehusk and straw. The grain passes down into the bag 2I'I, where anelevator 2! having pockets 2I9, moved between pulleys 220 and 22 I, isdriven by a belt 222 deflected by pulley 223 and from the drive pulley224. The grain which has been elevated, falls into the chute 225 wherethe corn is stored, allowing same to fall down the incline 226 whichreceives the bags on bars 221, where said bags are held and filled.

The belts I63 elevate the ears, holding same until I62 is reached, bymeans of cro-sspieces 228, having wall plates 229, within which saidbelt I63 travels, forming a box open at its upper part and rigidlysecured at its end 230.

On the back part of said box, the pulleys 23I, supported by 232, preventthe belt from sagging and interfering with the tractor. The two boxeswherein the belt I63 travels, have chains 233 suspended vertically andfixed by their lower ends to the arms of a lever 234, said arms beingfulcrumed at 235, the shorter arm 236 being joined to a pneumatic jack237. The pump which raises the jack is illustrated in 233 and has alinkage 239 ending in a handle 240 on the side of the control seat 24I.When the handle 240 is moved, the jack is elevated and, consequently,the

J lever arm 236 also rises and the lever arm 234 descends, dragging thechain 233 and, in turn, the boxes 229, compelling the forward section ofthe machine fulcrumed in 4, to raise and move the forward part I awayfrom the ground as far as it is found desirable.

With this mechanism just described, the height of the machine is alsoregulated, it only being necessary to give a few pumping movements tothe jack so as to raise the forward part of the machine, or lower thejack for the weight of the machine to lower same; this takes place bymeans of a key 242, which through rod 243, opens the jack valve. Theshaft 244 and drive 24I have been supplemented with relation to theusual tractor elements, for the purpose of facilitating the operation;the same occurs with the brake lever 246, the balance of the tractorelements remaining in the same unaltered condition as delivered from thefactory.

I claim:

1. In a corn picking machine a main driving ing the stalks of corn intothe machine, connections with the main driving shaft operating said Irchains, corn picking rollers arranged in pairs and connections with themain driving shaft rotating the said rollers of each pair in opposite drections, a member at the rear end of said rollers sloping upwardlytoward the rear, pulleys driven by the main shaft and an idle pulleylocated above the line of intersection of each pair of rollers at asubstantial distance from the rear end of the'rollers, a belt mounted onand driven by said pulleys whereby the ears of corn are carried oversaid sloping member.

2. In a corn picking machine a main driving shaft, chains having'prongsthereon for pushing the stalks of corn into the machine, connectionswith the main driving shaft operating said chains, corn picking rollersarranged in pairs and connections with the main driving shaft rotatingsaid rolls of each pair in opposite directions, said rollers beingdivided into differently threaded zones, the forward zone having openhelicoidal threads, the next zone having contact threads and the thirdzone being formed by oblique threads, a member in the rear end of thethird zone sloping upwardly toward the rear, pulleys driven by the mainshaft and an idle pulley lo- ARNALDO CARPINETI.

